You can download this information sheet [PDF 169KB] [Word 196 KB] or call us on 1300 039 390 to get a printed copy mailed to you.

Introduction

Who can get their money paid out at 18?

Some clients of Funds in Court (FIC) can get all their funds (money) paid out to them when they are 18 years old. If you don’t know if you’re able to get your money paid out when you are 18, please contact us.

Before your money can be paid out to you, we need to know you will be able to manage the lump sum of money by yourself. We may check this by having a Client Liaison Officer talk to you.

How do you apply to have all your money paid out to you?

You need to apply to the Court to get your money paid out. This is a two-step process. You need to fill in an application form and then we will send you a statutory declaration for you to complete.

Please let your Client Services Officer or the Payment Out at 18 team know if your contact details change. We need your current contact details to send you these documents.

You do not need to come into our office or go to Court to get your money.

Step 1: The application form

We will send the application form to you. The application form lets us confirm your identity.

We need to know:

  • your full name and date of birth
  • your job
  • your bank account details
  • whether you get the Disability Support Pension.

We also need a copy of your photo identification.

Your full name and date of birth

You need to tell us your full name, including any middle names. We also need you to tell us your date of birth.

We will send you a letter with the name and date of birth we have for you. Please check these are correct.

If your name or date of birth are wrong in our letter, please send us a certified copy of your birth certificate. Please note we need the full certificate, not an extract.

  • If you don’t have your birth certificate, you can get it from Births, Deaths and Marriages.
  • A ‘certified copy’ is a copy that has been checked and signed by someone with the legal authority to say it is a true and correct copy of the original document. Many people have the legal authority to certify documents, like Justices of the Peace and police officers. You need to take your original birth certificate and your copy when you are getting the copy certified.
  • When we have the certified copy of your birth certificate, we will fix our records.

Your job

You need to tell us your job (what you do for work). If you don’t have a job but you are studying, write ‘Student’ as your job. If you don’t have a job and you’re not studying, write ‘Job seeker’ as your job.

Your bank account details

You need to tell us your bank account details. You need to have a bank account that is in your name only, and to which you are the only signatory. This is to stop anyone else getting your money. 

If you have ever changed your legal name, the bank account must be in your new name.

The Disability Support Pension

We will ask if you get a Disability Support Pension. If you do, we may ask you some questions to check that your disability does not affect your ability to manage your money.

If you can’t manage your funds independently, your money will stay with FIC. You will still be able to access your money just like when you were under 18. You will still have your Client Services Officer to help you apply to use your money.

Your photo identification

You also need to send us a clear photocopy of photo identification that shows your date of birth and signature. This can be a current learner permit, current probationary licence, current passport, or proof of age card. If you don’t have any of these, you need to get one.

If you have ever changed your legal name, your photo identification must be in your new name.

When you have filled in the application form

When you have filled in the application form, send it back to us. You can post it using the reply-paid envelope we give you, or you can email it to us at requests@fundsincourt.vic.gov.au.

When we get your application form, we will check all the information.

When we have all the information we need, we will move on to the statutory declaration.

Step 2: The statutory declaration

We will prepare a statutory declaration for you after we get your completed application form. This statutory declaration is a legal document. When it is completed, it is your evidence about your identity and that you are entitled to the funds.

You will get the statutory declaration close to or soon after your 18th birthday.

Your statutory declaration will include:

  • a copy of the order or award of your compensation
  • a copy of your photo identification
  • a bank certification form.

You must tell the truth in your statutory declaration. It is a criminal offence to not tell the truth in a statutory declaration and can have very serious consequences.

We will send a letter with instructions on what to do with the statutory declaration.

What do you do with the statutory declaration?

  1. Take your statutory declaration to your bank. A bank officer must fill in the details on the bank certification form.
  • Take your statutory declaration to a person qualified to witness statutory declarations. We will send you a list of people who can do this. You must sign the statutory declaration in front of the authorised witness. The authorised witness needs to sign and date the copy of your photo identification. You must take your original photo identification with you to show the witness.
  • Send the completed and signed statutory declaration back to us using the reply-paid envelope we supply.

If there are any mistakes in your statutory declaration, we may have to send you a new one. If you have questions about what to do, talk with the Payment Out at 18 team. It will be faster to talk to them and get your statutory declaration right the first time.

When will you get your funds?

We will transfer your funds after we get your completed and signed statutory declaration and we have checked everything is correct. We will transfer your funds within 10 business days of receiving your statutory declaration.

We will send you a letter showing the amount you have been paid and details you need for your tax return. We will send this to you on the day we transfer the money into your account.

Because we can’t guarantee exactly when your funds will appear in your bank account, please do not make any agreement or promise to pay your funds before you get them.

What if you have questions?

You can talk with the Payment Out at 18 team at FIC if you have questions. You can call 1300 039 390 or email requests@fundsincourt.vic.gov.au. You can also see other ways of contacting FIC on our Contact us page.